When it's too late
by Tripod Gal
Summary: Preshow. Set when the Tracy's were still kids. Scott always loved all his brothers, but he couldn't get along with Virgil. Will he find out how much Virgil means to him before it's too late. T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi everybody!!! This is just a short story, explaining how Scott becomes to care for Virgil welfare, and how they became so close……**

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"Da-ad! I don't want to play with him, he smells!"

Jeff sighed and turned to the eight year old owner of that voice. He had a HUGE amount of work to do, (being a billionaire ex-astronaut does that) but with five sons, it was very hard to get any done.

Scott, who was putting angrily, looked up at his father in annoyance. Being the eldest of five brothers; after Lucille died he took it upon himself to look after his brothers when their father was away, though as soon as he returned he wanted nothing to do with them.

"What did he do this time Scott?" Jeff asked tiredly, rubbing his face wearily.

"He wanted Scott to help build the blocks with him." A quiet voice answered. John was sitting on the couch reading his grade one reader book for the night, which happened to be on stars.

"What is so wrong with that Scott?" Jeff asked, already knowing what the answer was going to be.

"Because he is too little to understand things and, I don't want to play with him!" Scott yelled furiously.

John spoke up quietly, "He is only three Scott, give him a chance." With that, he stood up and walked outside.

"But all he wants to do is annoy me! 'Play with me Scott! Talk to me! What's this Scott! I am SO sick of hearing his voice!"

A soft padding of feet down the hall announced the arrival of the subject of the conversation. A small mop of blond/brown hair poked around the door, followed by two sea-green eyes.

"Da-da?" Virgil Tracy asked questionably, "Can I cum-cum bin?

"Yes Virgil. You can come in," Jeff said quietly, noticing how his eldest had calmed down and was looking at the floor.

"Wha-Wha is wong? I hear hear shouts!" Virgil said, spreading his arms wide in emphasis.

"Sorry Virgie. WHAT you HEARD was just a little disagreement, nothing is WRONG." Jeff said clearly, emphasizing each word that Virgil said wrong.

"'Kay, 'kay da-da. Johnny said-said dat he's feed-feed-food ta Alan." Virgil said, jumping in to his fathers lap when Jeff had given the okay sign.

Scott looked up and without a word stalked out of the study. Jeff sighed softly and Virgil looked up at him in confusion.

"Don't worry Virgil. Scotts just a little grumpy right now." He said, smoothing down Virgil's hair.

Virgil jumped off his fathers lap and asked in a very rushed voice. "Da-da? Can I go dow ta da padik? I weally weally wanna see it!"

Jeff Tracy looked at his son bouncing up and down in excitement and decided that it wouldn't hurt him being in the back paddock. It was empty this year, so he thought that it would be safe.

"Okay Virgil. As long as you are careful and you don't mess around. And your back in 30 minutes, you know, when your watch beeps" He said setting the watch and touching his third youngest nose. Virgil gave a little squeal of excitement and after a rushed thanks ran outside and off towards the back paddock.

Jeff Tracy sighed happily and continued with his work, happy with the knowledge that he would get SOME peace from his sons. Not realizing the danger he had put the three ear old in………

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**A/N: Well? What do you think? Just so you know, this is going to be a short story, of two to three chapters. If you want the rest of the story……..well, you'll have to review:P**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank-you to everyone who kindly reviewed. **

**I really love reading all your reviews and take the time to read your suggestions carefully. **

**I know that some people don't want to read or harsh reviews, but I really want to hear whatever you want to say. Good OR Bad.**

**I hope you will enjoy this chapter; sorry if it is a bit mean to Virgie:(**

**Looks at floor guiltily but this is really the only way I can get this story out. **

**Just so you know; this story is set for about one year after Lucille has died. So…..on with the story.**

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Jeff Tracy sighed quietly at the blissful, QUIET peace around him. Alan and Gordon were sleeping (finally) and John and Scott were helping their grandma in the kitchen with dinner. He picked up a newspaper that was lying on the floor and idly flicked through it. Only a few stories caught his eye. 'Mother and Daughter lost in Tragic Monorail accident', 'Twelve Killed in Giant Earthquake' and 'Tracy Industries, the best thing.'

He closed the paper with a sigh, astounded at all the tragedy around and looked down when he heard the timid voice of his eldest.

"Daddy, What time is it?" Scott asked softly, carefully placing a mug of strong black coffee that Ruth had made for him in his hands.

"It's 5.35 Scott. Why do you want to know?" Jeff said, accepting the mug with a nod of thanks. He was flat-out tired and couldn't wait to walk up the stairs and climb into his nice, soft, sleep friendly bed.

Scott looked worriedly at him. He looked down at his fathers watch; as if to check that his father was telling the truth to him and sighed heavily when he saw the hands of the watch.

"Wasn't Virgie supposed to be back by now?" Scott asked, looking pleadingly at his father; silently begging that he was wrong.

Jeff stared at his son in horror, than his eyes quickly found his watch again and saw that his son was right; he didn't know how he could have forgotten. He grabbed his mac and hurriedly called to Ruth and John, telling them to grab the torches and coats.

Jeff Tracy kneeled down and stared his oldest in the eyes. "I know that you and Virgil don't always get along, but I need you to now. He could be in trouble. Or he could be lost. You have to listen to me and not argue; he needs you right now Scott."

Scott nodded silently and when Ruth Tracy and John entered the room, he grabbed the coat and torch that was handed to him and they all faced Jeff.

"Dad," he stated quietly, "You know the storm yesterday? Well Bobby said that it hit really REALLY close towards the back paddock and that some of the ground may have fallen in, creating big holes, and that they would proba-most likely be full of water."

Jeff felt his insides turn to ice and then that ice cement at the logic that his eight year old had just said. He should have KNOWN that the huge storm last night would have shook the already fairly unstable ground around there, it would've logically created mini-caves and pockets in the ground. He should have checked it before he let Virgil go off around there.

"Right," he said tersely; "Let's go find my son.

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**(Half an Hour Earlier)**

Virgil Tracy looked around happily. All the green grass around him had been cut back carefully and there were great little puddles for him to jump in. He knew he wasn't allowed in big water, Scott had promised to teach him to swim when the sun was shining lots. (Summer)

He saw a particularly big group of puddles and eagerly started towards them, intent of having a few large jumps, before grandma caught him and told him off for getting mud all over his clothes.

As he took another shaking step he got a huge shock when his watch beeped. He knew that daddy had said something important about when his watch beeped but he just couldn't think what.

He started to walk forward again but when he did, he heard an odd creaking, groaning sound; kinda like what the stairs make when he, Scott, John and Nana walk up them. He stopped uncertain if he should continue. The sun was going away and he was cold. But just as he was about to turn around, the ground below him gave way and he fell into a newly formed cave.

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Virgil woke groggily. 'I must've taken a nap' he thought, rubbing his sore head. He took a minute but once he was sure that the ground had stopped spinning he stood up and looked around. He took about three steps then fell into a deeper hole.

He panicked when he felt the water surrounding him. He tried to kick his legs like Johnny had said, but they were just too heavy, his head went under the water and pure panic-filled adrenaline saved him, he kicked his feet hard and his head broke the surface, sucking in air.

He called out, yelling for anyone. Virgil's head went back under the water and he couldn't breathe. Just as he nearly gave up and fell asleep, but he heard his big brothers voice.

"Virgie? Is that you?"

"Scottie! Help-help me!!" He yelled in reply.

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Scott had been looking for about ten minutes. His father was searching the top of the paddock while he and John and Grandma Tracy were searching the bottom. John and Ruth had gone one way, while he had gone the other. He had nearly turned back, intent on looking in another area, when he thought he heard a noise.

Scott decided to investigate and saw a bunch of puddles with two small footprints in them. Following them he saw more of them and to his horror, saw a deep, dark and monstrously gaping hole that had not been there three days ago.

He peered carefully over the edge and heard to his shock and worry a sputtering followed by the sound of his baby brother's voice.

"Help-help me!"

"Virgie?" Scott yelled into the dark, slippery hole, trying to see where his brother was.

"Scottie! Help-help me!" Came the desperate reply of the three year old.

"What's wrong Virgie?" He asked when he heard Virgil cry out, panic rising inside of him, threatening to choke him.

"I can't can't swim! Big bad watt watt!"

"Water! Is there water down there with you?!?" Scott yelled desperately, flashing the torch into the hole and spotting his brother, sinking in a huge hole full of dirty, muddy-brown water.

Scott watched in horror as his little brother sunk under the water again and he searched around for something he could use to reach his brother. After yelling for his father, brother and grandma he spotted the rope that they always kept there, to help capture any lost animals that got caught in the paddock.

He tied the rough end to the nearest tree and started to lower himself slowly into the hole just as his father, brother and grandma got there. Jeff immediately saw what Scott was planning and stepped up, putting a hand on the youths shoulder.

"No son. You can't do that." He said, putting a hand on the rope, effectively stopping Scott from being able to go any further.

"Dad, I know that you want to go and rescue Virgil, but it's not possible. You're too heavy (no offence)and…… Virgie doesn't have that much time!" Scott said in a rushed voice, as he heard Virgil go under the water again. He knew that Virgil wouldn't last much longer; he couldn't swim and he was only three. There wasn't much that he would be able to handle at that age.

Jeff reluctantly agreed and held onto the rope. "Yell when you want me to pull." He said, motioning for John to help, Ruth did as well even though he didn't want her to.

Scott took a breath and jumped in, the shock cold of the icy water hitting him straight away. He tried to adjust to it and looked for Virgil in the murky water. He felt his little brothers arm brush his and he quickly pulled him into his arms.

"Dad! Pull us up now!!!" He yelled, taking huge gulps of life giving air, sucking it in gratefully. He patted Virgil's cheek, trying to get him to wake up.

"Come on Virgie, wake up bubba." He whispered quietly to the stiff, sodden figure that was limp in his arms.

Jeff pulled them over the edge if the hole and quickly but gently, took Virgil out of his brothers arms and after a minute he noticed what was wrong.

Virgil wasn't breathing.

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**A/N: Well? Do you like it? I sorta like cliffies, if you know what I mean. **

**Should I continue the story? Do you like it? I would really like to hear your thoughts on it. **

**Good? Bad? Why? **

**PLEASE REVIEW! I am BEGGING you!!! I really want some more reviews. **

**Oh, and I also want your opinion of what should happen next. Should Virgil die? Yes? No? Again please review your opinion to me and I'll debate it. **

**And to anyone who's wondering, 'bubba' came from my nickname to my own dearest cough coughbrother.**

**Well, off to my little hole to wait for you nice, comforting, fuzzy feeling making reviews. I'll come out when I think that I am pleased with the reviews. Bye Bye. (For now, not forever!) dodges book OUCH! dodges another book Thinks to self **

'**Gotta be more careful around those books!'**


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